


Life in the big city

by Trylan



Category: Bugsnax (Video Game)
Genre: But I don't wanna write anything explicitly for adults, Changed the rating into "teen and up", F/F, F/M, Gen, It was mature before, M/M, Post-Canon, So sorry for the change but I'm a new writer and I'm still learning to post works ahah
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:40:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29239965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trylan/pseuds/Trylan
Summary: After the events of the island, and after the return of Elizabert and Eggabell, our friends find themselves dealing with the lives they had to go back to.And dealing with some new threats as well.
Relationships: Eggabell Batternugget/Elizabert Megafig, Filbo Fiddlepie/The Journalist, Gramble Gigglefunny/Wiggle Wigglebottom, Snorpy Fizzlebean/Chandlo Funkbun, Triffany Lottablog/Wambus Troubleham
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	1. The museum opening

**Author's Note:**

> My other work, "A New Life", act as a prologue to this series.  
> If you hadn't check it out yet, I suggest you read through it, since I establish a lot of my canon in that work.  
> I'm still finding my style, so if there are major differences in themes or style between chapters...that's why.  
> I decided to tag this as "mature" to have more freedom with what I can write, but I don't intend to overuse mature themes.  
> English is not my native language, so if I make errors do let me know in the comments! I will correct them accordingly.  
> Hope you enjoy!

“Buddy, wake up!”.

“Nnngh…”.

“We’ll be late to the museum’s opening!”

The red grumpus rolled on the other side in response. Filbo sighted, before opening the room’s shade, letting the morning light fill the bedroom, and going to the kitchen.  
Buddy grunted, covering their face with the pillow. It wasn’t even a ‘museum’ opening, they thought, just a new wing dedicated to a lost civilization or whatnot, they were never so hot on history. The only reason to even take part in it was that, apparently, Triffany took part in the expedition that made such a discovery sometime before, leading to the finding of some ancient tombs that were difficult to collocate in the history of the world.  
In truth, they only knew that because of the letter that laid on their bedside table. Their head almost began to hurt, trying to remember what Triffany had explained in the invitation, but it sure sounded important to her. No more speculation had to occur before Buddy could have their coffee, they decided. Fortunately, Filbo return not only with a steaming mug of just that on a plastic tray, but also an apricot croissant to go along with it. Buddy put themselves in a sitting position and smiled, as the tray was placed on their legs.

“Room service? If you keep this up, I’ll never be able to get up on time.”

Filbo kissed the red grumpus on the cheek “If you did that, I would’ve less cuddling time in the morning. So spoiling you a little is fine by me”.

Buddy chuckled and finished their breakfast quickly. They had to admit, it would’ve been nice to finally meet up with the others, this time having Liz and Egg as part of the group again. A month and a half after the two girls’ return and they didn’t manage to get everyone in the same place at the same time. But now Wiggle had finished her tour, Sheida came back from her ‘spiritual journey’ and everybody else got rid of all their appointments to be there. Even if none of them cared much about old civilizations, they knew how much Triffany was proud about this discovery. Plus, it was good visibility for Filbo’s run for mayor.

After breakfast, Buddy and Filbo quickly got dressed for the occasion and brought along Buddy’s camera and recorder, both to commemorate the event and to get an article out of it. Filbo unlocked their apartment’s door but didn’t exit immediately, didn’t turn around either.  
“Hey…if you don’t feel like being around the others at any point…please let me know ok? I won’t mind…”

“What, Filbo, it’s been weeks since…”

“I know, I know, I just don’t want you to anything reluctantly for our friends” the light blue grumpus lowered his head a little, looking at the ground “I know you’d do it even if that makes you uncomfortable, and I don’t want you to...”

Buddy hugged the other grumpus from the back, burying their face in his neck’s fur. Filbo blushed a little. 

“You know me so well. But I’m ok, you don’t have to worry about me…but I also know you’ll worry anyway.” 

“Eheh, you know me so well”.

It was a big change in Buddy’s attitude since the return from the island, Filbo thought. A little bit reassured, the light blue grumpus nodded and exited the apartment.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The crowd was already gathered in front of the museum’s stairway. Quite a lot of people, Triffany thought, a lot more than she initially imagined seeing at that event. She knew that the famous Elizabert Megafig attending had something to do with the presence of so many people, but she was happy nonetheless. If someone’s fame brought more culture in these people’s lives, all for the better.

“I hope these ungrateful city folks ‘preciate what you’re doing for ‘em” Wambus grunted. [Writer’s note: grumping accents, how do they work…].

She grabbed him by the waist, which managed to get him smile for a second, before he returned to his usual stoic expression. He didn’t enjoy being around a crowd, that she already knew. It just made his presence there that much more meaningful.

“It’ll last for a couple hours, dear, just be patient.”

Elizabert reached the couple, followed by Eggabell (and a bunch of reporters, even if Wambus’ gaze and sheer size was enough to keep them at a distance).

“How’s my favorite archeologist doing?” 

Triffany laughed “I don’t have much competition for that, do I, explorer?”

They hugged it out, but Liz held the gesture for a little bit longer than usual, whispering “Did you hide it?”

“It’s in the barn, back at home.”

Liz nodded, before turning to Filbo, who’d just arrived with the rest of the crew. While the others remained near the crowd, the aspiring mayor held photoshoots with the explorer and the archeologist, answering the reporters’ question (one of which was Buddy, ready to make him look good in front of potential voters). After the current mayor cut the ribbon, the crowd followed Triffany to the freshly opened wing, while Wambus reunited with his friends.

“I’ll never understand this much excitement for skeletons and ol’ pieces of rocks with stuff written on it” he grunted, adjusting his hat.

“Think it like this, Wambus” said Gramble “both you and yo wife have thing for stuff that are underground, she digs them up, you put them under to grow.”

“That ain’t the same thing, ranger…”

“Talking to you reminds me of talking to a rock sometimes, maybe that’s why your wife…DIGS you!”

Before Wambus could jump at Gramble’s throat, Beffica proposed to the group to enter the exhibition, pushing the little pink grumpus away with Wiggle’s help. Wambus adjusted his hat again with a grunt, before following along with the others. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Bunch of precious stuff here, eh? How much money would I make if…”

“If I see you even think about approaching one of these ancient artifacts, I’ll swap your brain with the one of a golden retriever before you can say ‘profit’, Cromdo. That actually sounds pretty interesting, may I have your consent to the operation?” Floofty brushed their paws together, with a sinister grin on their face.

“I was just stating facts, pal, I’ll keep my paws in my pockets.”

The red grumpus was right, though. The exhibition managed, with Triffany’s help, to show a vast array of ancient relics, mostly a part of the excavated catacomb they found in the expedition. Whoever this lost civilization was, they knew how to decorate a tomb: gold plaques studded with sapphires decorated the stone sides, while a funerary mask made from ceramic was placed on top of each coffin. The interior was currently empty for the most part, showing just some gifts that would aid the dead in the great beyond, while the mummified bodies of the ancient grumpuses had been taken out for analysis. It was not the usual modus operandi for the museum, to display something incomplete, but they could use some exposure those days, and the bodies would not be available for a couple more days.

“Isn’t it exiting?” Triffany looked like a child in a Luna park, her gaze going from one piece of ancient history to the next, her voice explaining everything that they managed to uncover, pointing out what she in particular had found “Oh my grump, if only the dead could talk…”

“I-I just hope they don’t start doing it when I’m around.” Gramble kept to Wiggle’s side, unnerved by the idea of a horror movie scenario playing out in that museum, with him as a co-protagonist.

“They are not here, darling” Wiggle reassured “and if they were, we fought off worse things, didn’t we? Like emm…t-those paparazzi last week!” she specified when Elizabert and Buddy glared at her. 

The exhibition went on for the rest of the morning. Buddy easily managed to get an interview from both Elizabert and Triffany, for the next day’s paper. Filbo seemed to go along with the voters just fine, answering questions about what intentions he had as a possible future mayor. Buddy was really proud of him: when put into politics, or in a position of power in general, Filbo would put aside all his insecurities and look like a very confident individual, worthy of running the city. They fondly remembered his attitude the first time they met, so much had happened since then, and they were all changed grumpuses now.

Since the reporters weren’t letting Liz enjoy anything for more than five seconds without an interview, Eggabell grabbed her girlfriend to get her out of the fame’s clutches, kissing her on the nose.

“Miss Megafig has a meeting scheduled with her doctor right now, she’ll be available later, toodles!”

The reporters looked at one another, before moving along with the rest of the people attending the exhibition, while Elizabert sighted in relief.

“Thanks, Egg, I thought they’d eat me alive.”

“You know I’m the only one allowed to do that.”

“Eggabell!!” Liz checked if anyone was within earshot, visibly embarrassed, to Eggabell’s amusement.

“Don’t worry Egg, it’ll soon be lunchtime.”

Buddy’s voice made the white grumpus jump in her girlfriend’s arms who, fortunately, were strong enough to carry her.

“AAARGH! You’ll give me a heart attack one of these days!” 

“Eheh, sorry Egg” the grumpus checked their surroundings. The coast was clear “Any update, Liz?”

“Snorpy’s gadget didn’t reveal anything, and neither did the sensors installed in any of our houses. No activity since our return, except for that one encounter in the park, that is.”

Buddy turned to face the doctor once again, a more relaxed expression on their face “Your advices are working as a charm, Egg. Thanks for helping me out.”

“No problem, journalist. It’s nothing compare to what you’re doing for us. Just…don’t worry too much, ok? Filbo hinted at some rather worrying recent behaviors of yours. Stress is a resilient enemy, ready to come back in an instant.”

Buddy nodded, but they couldn’t help it: they were always looking out for their friends, asking Snorpy news about the monitoring of the anti-Grumpinati, if the adopted security measures were working as intended. They chatted online with the others to check what everyone was up to, if they’d seen something strange or noticed someone acting suspicious near them. Knowing that a secret organization bent on world domination was out to get you…yeah, it was stressful. Even if they didn’t show any serious physiological response since the last incident, when they’d passed out, Eggabell offered to help with Buddy’s traumatic memories of the island, since she had experience with dealing with her own demons.  
While they were riding that train of thoughts, Egg put a paw on their shoulder.

“Keep up the good work, reporter. And relax, we’ve got your back, always.”

“Thanks doc, you too.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“No Bugsnax found on any of the artifacts, you sure they information was right?”

“Positive, they are cleverer than we initially thought.”

“Shall I follow them?”

“No, we’ll deal with this later. Proceed with operation ‘Food Hydra’”.

“Tu Quid Etas.”


	2. A past to uncover, a monster to hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are moving faster than everyone thought, and the solution is not yet on the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters will be published slower now, both cause of me wanting to write them better (or at least I HOPE they are better) and personal stuff slowing me down (nothing to worry about, just normal everyday duties that are part of life, I have nothing going particularly wrong right know ahah).

The museum’s ceremony was an overall success: lots of people, lot of media coverage (partly thanks to Buddy and their soon-to-be article on one of the biggest newspapers in town), even some tv station showed interest on the event. Once again, Triffany had to admit Elizabert’s role in all this exposure, but she was happy about the results nonetheless. Archeology had always been a niche cultural passion for a lot of people, a little group of grumpuses’ tombs whose civilization had never been seen before would not change its popularity in a single day. She sighted, moving the chips around her plate, head resting on her own paw…recoiling a bit in surprise when one of the chips seemed to jump on its own, dotting her nose with some ketchup. Upon further inspection, a blue paw was at one end of the little yellow and salty offender.

“Earth to Triffany, are ya with us?” 

Wambus’ voice betrayed a little amusement from the prank he just played on his wife. She lovingly giggled to him, before returning the favor with a mayonnaise-covered side of her hamburger. The large grumpus quickly cleaned off the stain from his cheek. “Triff, we are at a restaurant!”

“You started it!” she retorted, provoking laughter along the table.

The gang was having a casual lunchbreak at a burger place nearby the museum. Since the exhibition was over, they wanted to make most of their time together, before everyone’s plans knocked at the door, taking them back to their usual schedule.

“Anyway, Triffany” Lizbert spoke between bites of her meal, making Eggabell eye her disappointingly “you were saying something about coming to your place tomorrow morning.”

“Ah, yes, that. Ya see, I can’t tell much now, but the museum…instructed me to check onto something else that was discovered. That’s the official story anyway” she lowered her voice. “The truth is, I have something ta show ta y’all.”

“Is…is it scary?” Gramble was already shaking at the news “‘cause I think I have an appointment with…with the dentist tomorrow, yes, I can’t cancel, sorry!”

“It’s not scarier than anything else you’ll find in a museum, dear, but it IS worth checking out, especially for us...”

Buddy froze on the spot, a worrying expression making its way on their face “You don’t mean…”

“I’m not sure…lots of wall painting is similar to one another, since the technology to commemorate special events or any kind of occasion was limited in the past. Our ancestors didn’t record much of their own history, except with ritualistic images or even hieroglyphics in more advanced civilizations. An image may carry many meanings…and we can also assume the artist was not the best the village had to offer at that time. It’s also true that lots of skeletons manifest irregularities for a multitude of reasons…but…just come to our place tomorrow morning, will ya’ll? Can’t tell more right now.”

Eggabell turned to Buddy, checking for accelerated heartbeat or difficulties in respiration. No immediate signs of discomfort at the news. She met Filbo’s gaze, who slowly nodded in response, probably thinking the same thing. Keeping Buddy monitored had become kind of a habit for the both of them since the last incident. Filbo cared for them. So did Egg of course, but her behavior was more due to her doctor’s duties and her past experiences. 

“Well, my students must attend to an important exam tomorrow morning, so me, my sibling, his boyfriend and Ms. Winklesnoot shall not attend to the discovery.” Floofty’s tone accepted no response to that declaration, not that anyone had anything to say anyway. They knew way too well that bad things happened to students who didn’t attend to professor Fizzlebean’s classes, let alone exams.

Shelda and Cromdo gave similar justifications for their absence, having to go back to their jobs the next day. All the others, meanwhile, accepted the invitation. If Triffany was being so secretive about it, it must’ve been worth their time to check it out.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the lunch break, most of the moved to Wambus’ house, arriving between ten to thirty minutes apart from each other, as an additional security measure suggested by Snorpy. The cold air blew softly on the mostly empty fields: winter was coming, and Wambus was in the middle of changing the crops to adapt them to the season. That said, the countryside was still full of nature’s colors, from the green of the grass to earth’s brow and the corns’ yellow.  
Buddy’s car steered on the main road’s gravel, coming to an alt in front of the others’ vehicles. They all followed Triffany as she and her husband made their way into the barn, currently emptied from any kind of animal to host the archeological finds. Dust and hay’s particles filled the air, while perfectly kept skeletons laid on white blankets, dirtied by the time passed in there. Every corpse seemed complete, grumpus in nature, but one of them was missing an arm. To no one’s surprise, Triffany grabbed the missing piece from her back, using it as a pointer.

“Dr Butternut, may you assist me?”

“Of course” Eggabell laid on her knees next to the nearest skeleton, her medical instruments put into work to analyze it. It wasn’t very suitable equipment for that work, but she knew a thing or two about corpses from her studies. And what laid in front of her sure showed some abnormalities.

“I’ve noticed a strange formation in each of the ancient grumpuses’ stomach, similar to the ones found in the dig site back at Snacktooth Island. Back then, I didn’t know any better, but now we know that they might be…fossilized Bugsnax.”

A shiver ran down everyone’s back. Triffany continued “Since Bugsnax are parasites, my working theory is that they are never properly digested, infecting the host organism with mutation…but we all know that don’t we?” her gaze landed on her own arm, as if it was still made of cake and noodles…no…of those creatures. “But upon one’s death, either natural or sudden, these creatures recompose themselves in one’s stomach, fossilizing if nothing else happens to the corpse. Since these people were entombed, their graves kept their bodies mostly properly protected from time.”

Triffany’s skeletal arm was suddenly pointed at a piece of mural, hidden behind some hay bales. “And then there’s that”.

With Wambus’ help, who dragged a huge piece of mural from behind some hay, the group was shown an old painting, very simplistic, depicting what seemed to be a floating mass of spaghetti with two meatballs composing the main body, two unmistakably googly eyes put atop of it all. Nothing they’d ever encountered, but the resemblance to a bugsnack was uncanny.

Filbo felt the hamburger in his stomach fighting for its freedom, as the mere thought of having food inside him was unbearable. “W-w-w-w-where did you find all of this?”

Triffany’s eyes narrowed. “In an island 50 kilometers south from Snacktooth.” The dread that hovered in the room grew heavier. “But of course, this doesn’t translate in an imminent danger for us. We didn’t encounter any bugsnax back there, maybe they just existed ages ago. The flora and fauna of the dig site were most alive, so no sign of infection yet. They probably just existed centuries ago. I wanted to show you these discoveries for obvious reason, we now have some kind of proof of bugsnax’s existence. But I wanted to keep it a secret, of course, since…”

A loud crash interrupted her speech, the barn’s roof spitting splinters on them. A shadow dropped between them, crushing two of the skeletons by mere impact with the ground. Eggabell jumped rapidly back on their feet, a crab claw barely missing her face. Elizabert rushed over, a pitchfork in her hands, trying to stab the newly arrived visitor, but she was too slow: the creature, which had the silhouette of a grumpus, jumped again, attaching itself on a wooden beam, whipping angrily what seemed to be a tail made of…chicken wings?

“What in the world is that?” shouted Wambus, his trusty rifle ready, pointing upwards and shooting before even receiving an answer. But the creature was too fast, moving from one beam to another, beastly leaps and horrid cries emitting from it.

Now that the initial surprise was wearing off, the grumpuses noticed that the creature in front of them was a mutated grumpus, partly composed from food, like a Busgnax’s infection. Except not only its limbs were changed into various food, but it seemed to gain benefits from the transformation itself, like the two functional claw-hands and a prehensile tail composed from various chicken wings strapped together, ending in a sharp, bone-like tip. The body resembled rice, with a corn nose stuck between two feral eyes, a tri-horned head showing sharp popsicles coming out of it.  
Elizabert instinctively rushed over Eggabell, assuming a defensive position. Filbo, Triffany and Gramble were still frozen in shock, while Wambus made good use of the rifle’s bullets. Buddy looked around for a weapon for themselves, recovering a shovel nearby, before the creature dropped on them, claws lashing onto their arms, leaving deep cuts. Buddy managed to barely keep their nerves, hitting the monster in its left temple with the shovel, stunning him momentarily. Elizabert took advantage of that, throwing the pitchfork with all her might, hitting it right in the side.  
A loud screech emitted from the creature, before it became a whirlwind of food, disappearing in the ground below. Wambus took two shots in the hole for good measure, without visible results.

“What…in the grumping hell…WAS THAT!?” Gramble shouted, his legs too weak to make him stand up.

“But most importantly, do you think it’ll be back in my grumpdamn property?” rifle still in his hands Wambus kept aim on the hole in the ground.

Buddy held their own arm, shaking, while Eggabell rushed over to medicate them. Triffany checked on the skeletons: two destroyed by the creature, three left intact, the mural seemed to be untouched by the assault. Elizabert helped Buddy get up, while Eggabell crafted a rudimentary plaster with some gauze.

“That, my dear Gramble, was a declaration of war…”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They all moved to Triffany and Wambus’ house, taking the archeological discoveries with them, looking them in the basement. Everyone was still visibly shocked by the recent experience. Elizabert walked in circles around the living room distractingly, absorbed in her thoughts. Filbo was on Buddy’s side, regretful about his earlier cowardness.

“Ok…so anyone want to talk about it?” grunted Wambus “’’cuz I ain’t saying nothing, for sure.”

“A monster just attacked us and you don’t feel like talking? Such a man you are!” Gramble’s voice was a mixture of anger and fear.

“At least I had the guts to take a damn weapon and shoot the damn thing, Gramble, while you...”

“ENOUGH!” Once more, Elizabert’s voice managed to silence the room “Sure now it’s not the time to argue between us. That was a bugsnack, or at least a grumpus who just ate a bunch of them. Whether you like it or not this ain’t over.” She tried her best to keep tears from filling her eyes. Everyone knew her as strong, a will of iron to admire and follow, but she was no braver than the rest of them right now. She searched for Eggabell’s paw, grasping it tightly, even hurting her a little for the sheer strength behind her hand. She noticed it soon enough, loosing the grip. “Somehow the bugsnax managed to reach the land, coming from grump know where. We need to search for them, we need to capture them, we need to eliminate the treat before it reaches the city. Am I being clear?”

“Crystal” Buddy grinned “leave it to me, Liz, I have some experience with catching bugsnax.”

“B-Buddy, are you sure?” the light-blue grumpus looked to his partner worryingly. 

“Trust me, Filbo, I can help. I know I can. Bust most importantly, we still made zero progress in this mistery. That thig may not have been sent by the Grumpinati” When everyone looked at them confused, Buddy added “An assault, in broad daylight, by the hand of just ONE monster? If I was part of a super secretive organization who wanted to silence a group of people, collected in the same spot, I would land a tougher blow…or I’d do it more quietly. Don’t you agree, Liz?”

Liz was momentarily lost for words. Not even she had brought into consideration those details. Visibly glad to have Buddy’s collaboration in this, she turned to the others. “Everyone’s help will be fundamental to solve this mess. Go home now and be ready. We’re hunting bugsnax again.”


End file.
